Lecture 2: Flashcards
What is a mineral?
A naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline solid, with a definable chemical composition.
Is water a mineral?
No it is a liquid,
however ice is considered a mineral
What are the three classes of rocks?
Sedimentary
Igneous
Metamorphic
How are rocks distinguished?
Distinguished by: process of formation
lithologic character
What is Uniformitarianism
“the present is the key to the past.”
What is lithification?
Lithification is the process of turning sediments into rock through compaction, dewatering (removal of water), and cementation, where minerals bind the grains together.
How do igneous rocks form?
Igneous rocks form when magma or lava cools and solidifies.
How do sedimentary rocks form?
Sedimentary rocks form from compacted and cemented sediments.
How do metamorphic rocks form?
Metamorphic rocks form when existing rocks undergo heat and pressure without melting.
How can sedimentary or metamorphic rocks become igneous?
hey must melt into magma and then cool and solidify.
What processes turn rocks into sediments?
Weathering and erosion break rocks into small particles (sediments).
What drives the rock cycle?
Heat, pressure, cooling, weathering, erosion, and tectonic activity.
